Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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270. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he has engaged with NewEra, An Post and or the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications in respect of an enhanced pension arrangement for staff at An Post; and if he has been contacted by An Post management regarding this issue (details supplied). [31375/23]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The rules of the An Post Main Superannuation Scheme provide An Post discretion to grant increases in pensions with the authorisation of the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications and with my concurrence.

The Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies and DPER Circular 16/2021 set out the process for requesting Ministerial approval for such increases. The Code of Practice requires any request for a pension increase by An Post to first be submitted to the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. Should the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications approve the increase request, my consent is then sought by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications.

The request for my consent must be accompanied by an advisory report by NewERA. Earlier this week NewERA provided both Departments concerned with an executive summary of a report on an increase proposal by An Post. The full report is expected in the near future and will be considered by officials in both Departments once received.

No consent request has yet been received by my Department from the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications in relation to the increases referred to in the detail supplied. As set out in the approval procedure outlined above, my Department does not have direct contact with An Post as part of the pension increase approval process.